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Melissa Pierce’s parents—both veterans and DAV members—taught her and her sibling the importance of giving of their time and doing for others.
“[With] both of my parents, being active in DAV, it meant we kids were also,” says Pierce. As a child, she remembers pitching in with activities for veterans such a...

Before he left the military in September 2012, Marine veteran Wade Jensen submitted a claim through Benefits Delivery at Discharge, a program that allows service members to apply for disability compensation 60 to 180 days prior to their separation, retirement or release from active duty.
Wade had served his country for 21 years until t...

Several years ago, Marine veteran and DAV member Matt Amos was struck by a Christmas wish from a ten-year-old boy.
Through a social media post called “Austin’s Christmas Wish,” Amos learned of a young boy who had been born without his right forearm. According to the post, he’d never wanted a prosthetic before, b...

After serving his country, Marine veteran Michael Rawlings found new ways to serve others and make a difference in the lives of his fellow veterans.
Michael became a life member of DAV in 1991, and would ultimately become an active member of the state’s Brainerd Chapter of DAV. He would go on to serve as adjutant and th...

Even as a teenager, Army veteran Rhonda White did her part to help others.
“I came from a poor family and worked a lot during high school to help support my little brother and sister,” said White. “College was not on my horizon at the time, so the military was my only option to make something of myself.”...

(FRISCO, Texas) — PURE: People United Reaching Everyone today announced its philanthropic partnership with DAV (Disabled American Veterans), part of PURE’s ongoing corporate commitment to support the community and give back as part of their mission to deliver whole health.
“I am proud to support an or...

Says Ed: I can’t say I really knew too much about DAV until I needed them. My amazing wife was diagnosed with cancer when she was just 25 years old, and I had recently gotten out of the service.
This shocking diagnosis and the long journey was financially, physically, and emotionally devastati...

Says Leah: I’ll be honest — I don’t think the military focuses on the life skills needed when service members are transitioning out. They don’t tell us how the corporate world works, and we don’t have easy access to the tools, resources, and connections we need to succeed long-term. It’s a big problem, one tha...

The last time Lt. Col. Mike Hert heard Army Sgt. Adam Alexander’s voice, it was over a conference call from Paktia Province, Afghanistan.
“Adam said he had to go because they were under attack,” Mike recalls.
“I remember Mike saying keep your head down,” says Adam. It would be one of...

Says Lisa: I’m proud to say I served as a medical officer in the USAF, USAF Reserves, and Air National Guard (ANG) during my military career, which spanned three decades.
In 1999, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Then, in 2013, I discovered the medication I was taking caused me to get Lupus. I was devastated &h...

A complex chain of events often leads a veteran into homelessness. Service-related health conditions can result in unemployment that potentially invites substance abuse issues and financial or legal struggles, ultimately leaving the veteran unable to afford housing and creating a cycle that’s difficult to break.
However, a single...

DAV has partnered with the upcoming film, God Bless The Broken Road, to launch the #BlessAVet campaign. A portion of the proceeds from the movie will benefit DAV.
The film combines elements of faith, country music, and race car driving while paying tribute to those who serve in the United States Armed Forces and star...

“If it wasn’t for DAV…” Vietnam veteran pays it forward, helping other veterans get benefits they earned
The year was 1966, and 19-year-old Jim Daugharty had a good job with a local drapery company making, as he said, “pretty good dollars,” when he received his draft notice....